CHAPTER X
“Still,” said Ardan, “we are not treated too badly. There is plenty of food.”
“And there are beds in the alcove,” said Ainnle.
“We shall sleep well to-night,” said Deirdre, and she burst into tears.
They sat dumb, each feeling as if a chill wind had touched him.
“Forgive me,” said Deirdre. “I shall not complain any more. Let us sit to our meat.”
“I shall eat and eat and eat,” said Ardan. “I am so hungry I could growl over my food.”
“You shall be served first, Ardaneen,” said Deirdre, “and if there is one tender piece you shall have it.”
“Our Buinne is even hungrier than I am; let him have the first piece.”
Deirdre looked kindly at Buinne, but as she looked her eyes widened and she went white to the lips. She spoke to him with a shy smile.
“You will have the first piece, Buinne,” she stammered.
“I shall take what comes,” said Rough-Red Buinne.
Deirdre sank back in her chair.
“Naoise, my dear,” she said, “please carve for me. I am not well.”
“Buinne is sensible,” said Naoise. “He has a head on his shoulders.” He stumbled in his carving, and cast a swift glance at Deirdre.
“The first portion,” he continued gravely, “shall be for Buinne, the second for Iollann, the third for Deirdre, the fourth for Ainnle, the fifth for Ardan, and the sixth for Naoise.”
“My piece is to be the tenderest,” said Ardan complacently; “Deirdre said so. Fight for me, Deirdreen!”
“Ardan, my dear brother,” said Deirdre, “come to me and give me ten kisses.”
“I’ll miss my turn,” he wailed, as he moved round to her.
They ate their supper, and were sittingat chess—that is, Deirdre and Naoise were playing, while the others watched the game—when there came a tapping at the door which was nearest to them. Naoise held a piece poised in his fingers.
“Go, Ainnle, and challenge that person.”
“It is a woman’s voice,” said Ainnle.
“Let her come in.”
The great bolts were pushed back, and Lavarcham entered.
“My babe, my treasure!” she cried, and she ran to Deirdre.
“Oh, my sweet mother!” said Deirdre.
“I have no time,” Lavarcham panted. “I must fly back to the king. He sent me to spy on you through the window.”
“There is danger, mother?”
“There is terrible danger. Conachúr’s household men are standing to arms in the Speckled Branch, and there is a posse at each of the gates of this place. He will attack before morning. Oh, Deirdre, Deirdre, that you could have come here knowing Conachúr as I taught him to you! What madness brought you from Scotland, child? Are you glad to see me? Do you love your mother still, little one? I havetold the king that you would be ruined with hardship and sorrow; alas! you are more beautiful than ever. I shall tell him that you are one-eyed and lame, I shall tell him anything to quieten him for this night. To-morrow Naoise’s people will get news of your return and he may fear to attack. If only I can quieten him for this night! He is drinking. He may go to sleep. Oh, my darling, my one love! I must fly. Keep all the doors barred. Do not open to any one. I shall send messengers to Uisneac’s people. Kiss me again. Oh, my love of all loves! I must fly.”
“Ainnle, Ardan, run round all the doors. See that they are secure,” said Naoise.
He turned to Buinne and Iollann.
“Your father may be too late to help us. I give you back your protection, gentlemen.”
“I shall stay with you,” said Buinne.
“And I,” said Iollann.
“Good comrades!” Naoise cried, and his eyes sparkled with delight and gratitude.
“We are five,” he said, “trained to arms from the moment we could walk. No person of our quality will be against us, for no gentleman of Ireland would take part insuch an attack. There will be only the common soldiery: hardy men, but as skilful at our trade as ploughmen. They cannot break in, for the Red Branch was designed not to be broken into. These bronze doors——”
“The windows!” said Ainnle.
“God pity the man that gets in through a window!” said Naoise. “Moreover, they are too high. A man’s legs would be splintered if he jumped from them.”
“Fire!” said Ardan.
“Conachúr will not burn his own fortress.”
“There is a man at the window now,” said Deirdre.
Naoise’s hand was on the table. He picked up a heavy chessman of gold and ivory and with an underhand flick he sent it buzzing up and through the glass.
A roar of pain came from without and then a scream. “My eye! my eye!” a voice wailed.
“He won’t peep through windows again in a hurry,” said Ainnle.
“Conachúr has overreached himself,” said Naoise. “We can hold out until themorning, and if Lavarcham sends her messages my people will be baying around Conachúr like wolves, and there will be many another one with them.”
“The people of Fergus mac Roy will be with them,” cried Buinne.
“That king will learn what it is to dare my father’s protection,” Iollann raged.
“Why,” said Naoise joyfully, “we are as safe as if we were in Scotland.”
“If we are only as safe as that!” said Ardan with a giggle. “Buinne, my soul, we used to be running from morning until night. We ate our food on the run. We used to run in our sleep. I tell the world that in six years I have not felt safe for a minute until this minute, for there are stout walls around us, and food to last a week’s siege. The gods be praised,” he said piously, “we cannot run even if we have to.”
The band of young men shouted with laughter, and Deirdre chimed in as joyously as any of them.